


Con Artist and Prince

by moonlitavenue



Category: Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Era, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-20 18:22:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11340855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlitavenue/pseuds/moonlitavenue
Summary: The girl soon was a couple feet away carriage, still gazing at Dmitry with those piercing blue eyes. She then reached out her hand, as if she wanted the prince to grab on to her and hoist her up. The gesture made Dmitry smile. She then bowed to him in a confused manner. It was like she was rendered speechless once she reached him and this was the only way to convey how she felt.While she bowed, the sea of commoners crashed around her, engulfing her. Frantically, Dmitry searched for the girl among the swarm, but he was blinded by the sun’s beams. He wished he could catch a glimpse of her one last time.He never knew that he would find her again.AU where Dmitry is the royal and Anya is not





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I really don't know what I'm doing so let's hope it works out.

It was June in Imperial Russia. It was a hot day and thousands of people crowd the street, waiting to see a glimpse of the royal family. Ten-year-old Dmitry didn’t understand the fuss. His family was just like any other family: they fought and screamed and yelled. Why would anyone want to come and see that? It wasn't like they were the circus or something. 

“We are royalty,” his mother would tell him, but he never understood why that was so important to people. What did they do that was so entertaining? 

So what if they were royal? They were just people who happened to be lucky. 

There he was, sitting in a carriage with his family in some of his finest clothes, looking out across the sea of people. The crowd was rowdy; they cheered as the family went by, which made him feel terrible. He felt like the whole parade was so frivolous. It was all just a show of his family’s power over their subjects.

“Are you having a good time, Dima?” a voice asked. Dmitry looked up to see his father’s face smiling down at him.

“I guess so,” he shrugged, “there’s a lot of people.”

“They’re here for us. They love us,” said the Czar as he looked at his subjects. 

“Whatever,” Dmitry mumbled. 

Dmitry scanned the crowd, until something, or someone, caught his eye. Near the side of the carriage, staring back at him was a girl. She looked about his age, if not then younger. She was thin and scrawny, dusted with dirt from head to toe. Her knotted strawberry-blonde hair glisten in the sunlight as she stared with her piercing blue eyes. Dmitry couldn’t keep his eyes off of her; there was something about her that was so intriguing.

The carriage soon past the girl, but she wasn’t going to let it get away. Dmitry was turning his head when heard a small shrill voice cry out, “DMITRY!” The prince snapped his around to see the girl running towards Dmitry. She ducked in between the guards and the rambunctious horde. She soon was a couple of feet away carriage, still gazing at Dmitry with those piercing blue eyes. She then reached out her hand, as if she wanted the prince to grab on to her and hoist her up. The gesture made Dmitry smile. She then bowed to him in a confused manner. It was like she was rendered speechless once she reached him and this was the only way to convey how she felt. 

While she bowed, the sea of commoners crashed around her, engulfing her. Frantically, Dmitry searched for the girl among the swarm, but he was blinded by the sun’s beams. He wished he could catch a glimpse of her one last time.

He never knew that he would find her again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All I can say is that Gleb is in this chapter.

“I only want one thing for my birthday.”

Dmitry confronted his parents in the library. This time, he would get what he wanted.

“This better not be what I think it is, Dmitry,” his father groaned.

“Please just hear me out!” Dmitry cried.

It was a day before his eighteenth birthday. For the past six months, he had been dropping hints to his parents about what he wanted, but they always met him with disappointment.

“No,” his father stated, no longer wanting to talk about the issue.

“Please, I never ask for much and this is all I want.”

“What is it that you truly want, Dmitry?” His mother asked.

“Freedom! I want freedom!” Dmitry exclaimed, “I want to know what it’s like outside the palace gates! No guards, no protection. I need this. Please.”

His mother paused for a moment.

“This is what you truly want?” she questioned.

“Yes!” Dmitry said breathlessly.

“Then so it will be.”

Both Dmitry and his father’s jaws dropped. They couldn’t believe what they just heard.

“Alexandra, I- “

“There is no more to discuss, Nicholas. The boy wants to have freedom, and freedom he will get,” Dmitry’s mother turned to him, “I hope you find what you’re looking for out there, Dima. You can leave first thing in the morning. I will try to find someone to guide you through St. Petersburg. You may stay there for two days.”

“I will, mother! Thank you!” Dmitry chirped in excitement as he left the room.

This was it. Dmitry was going to get exactly what he wanted: Freedom. What does it feel like? To not have to follow every little rule that royalty comes with? To live without the responsibilities of being a prince? Dmitry was determined to find out.

Dmitry never felt like he was fit to be a prince. Don’t get him wrong, he loved his family and he was glad to be born a Romanov. However, he could not stand the pressure that came with it. He wanted to know what it was like to be a normal boy in Russia. He was sick of being Dmitry Nikolaevich Romanov, he just wanted to know what it was like to just be Dmitry.

***

Dmitry couldn’t sleep he was so excited. He stayed up all night, planning on what he would do and gathering his supplies. He also had to find clothes that wouldn’t make him stick out as if he were wearing a sign on his back that said, “I’m a Romanov. Kick me!” He decided to go with an old pair of shoes he found in the back of his closet, brown trousers, a grey button-up shirt, a tweed vest, a brown jacket, and his lucky red scarf that his mother gave to him on his birthday years ago. He watched the sun rise when he realized that he was eighteen and it was time for his first taste at freedom. Words couldn’t describe the excitement he felt. He would finally know what it was like to live outside the palace walls, and he couldn’t wait for it.

Dmitry always felt like he was a disappointment to the Romanov name. He never asked to be royal, but he wasn’t given a choice. He wanted to feel the pride that parents and sisters and brother felt about their bloodline, but he always had this pang of guilt when he tried. Why should he live a glorious lifestyle while the people of Russia, _his_ people, were barely getting by.

Dmitry finally mustered up the courage to leave his room. He walked out to see a boy about his age staring right back at him. “Who are you?” Dmitry asked. Before the boy could answer, Dmitry’s mother came into view.

“Oh, Dmitry! You’re up!” His mother exclaimed happily.

“Good morning, Mother. Who is this?” Dmitry said dryly.

“Oh, why this is Gleb! He is the son of one of our guards. He is going to take you into St. Petersburg!” His mother chirped.

Dmitry was now angry at the boy. He didn’t need anyone to help him.

“Mother,” Dmitry gritted, “I said that I didn’t need a guard.”

“Gleb is not a guard, sweetie! He is a _guide_ , there is quite a difference.”

“Whatever,” Dmitry muttered.

The boy, Gleb, then spoke. “Well, we should be on our way, Your Highness.” He took a second to bow to Dmitry’s mother.

“Well, you must get going then. I will see you in two days time, Dmitry,” his mother said. She gave him a quick hug and knotted his scarf a little tighter. “Good luck.”

“Thank you, Mother,” Dmitry said while bowing.

His mother left, and it was just the two boys now, waiting for the other to speak.

Gleb was the one to break the silence, “Shall we go, _sweetie_?”

Dmitry knew that he was not going to like Gleb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has been reading this so far! I swear that Anya will be in it soon! Leave comments or criticisms below!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dmitry and Gleb walk to St. Petersburg where a thief tries to steal Dmitry's money.

_I have to get rid of this guy_ , Dmitry thought as he and Gleb walked into St. Petersburg. Dmitry had a feeling that Gleb didn’t want to be here either; the two had rarely spoken to each other the whole time. Dmitry felt like he tried to keep up the conversation, trying to talk about how cold it was outside and asking Gleb how he was, but nothing ever seemed to start up a conversation.

Dmitry was beginning to feel like he was drowning in the silence between them. He wanted, no needed, Gleb to talk to him.

“What is it like?” Dmitry blurted out.

“What is what like?” Gleb questioned.

“St. Petersburg! I mean I’ve only been in the city in a carriage, looking down on everyone.” Dmitry joked.

“’Looking down on everyone’? How ignorant of you,” Gleb scoffed.

Dmitry started to get defensive, stopping himself and Gleb in their tracks. “How dare you call me ignorant! I am a Romanov and you have no right to insult me! This is my first time going into the city on my own without guards surrounding me and I wanted to know what it was like!” Dmitry yelled.

Dmitry was seething. He wanted to scream at Gleb some more, telling him off about how he never asked to be royal, but then he really looked into the boy’s eyes. It showed how terrified he was of the young prince. Insulting royalty was punishable, and this boy knew that. Dmitry realized what kind of power he had over Gleb, and that made him just as terrified.

“I’m sorry, let’s forget this ever happened and continue,” Dmitry rambled.

 “Whatever,” Gleb mumbled.

“Here it is, Your Majesty, St. Petersburg!” Gleb proclaimed as they neared the busy square, smirking at what he did.

Dmitry went wide-eyed. He felt like everyone who was in the vicinity heard Gleb and then he would be for sure recognized. If anyone knew that Dmitry was a part of the son of the Czar, it could be dangerous for him.

 Dmitry grabbed Gleb by the arm while he was caught off guard and threw him into the nearest alley. Dmitry scanned the area, making sure nobody was near to eavesdrop on their conversation. 

“What the hell! Are you trying to get us killed?” Dmitry whispered frantically. All Gleb did was smirk.

“Sorry, Your Royal Highness,” Gleb sneered.

Dmitry was fuming. He wanted to tell Gleb off and to show him not to disrespect a Romanov, but he knew that was what Gleb wanted; another reason to hate the royals. So, Dmitry decided to beg, “This is my one chance at knowing what it’s like to be free. Please, don’t mess this up for me.”

Dmitry stared into Gleb’s eyes, but he couldn’t read them. They seemed cloudy, like he was at a lost, trying to think of what to do next.

“Fine,” Gleb muttered.

“Thank you, Gleb. Thank you,” Dmitry stated, almost weeping tears of joy.

The two boys walked back into the square and into the crowd. Dmitry was overwhelmed. He thought the silence of the palaces was bad, but this constant noise of people hustling around was worse. He wanted to curl up into himself to get away from the noise and the rushing. He tried to concentrate on walking, but he couldn’t think. He closed his eyes to try and make all the commotion disappear. That’s when he felt someone brush by him. He opened his eyes to see a short figure walking away from him. He then checked his pockets. Even royalty knew about the pickpockets that roamed the streets of Petersburg.

He checked his pants pockets to find them completely empty. He had some of his money in them, and he had to get it back.

“Hey you! Come back here!” Dmitry shouted, running at the figure. The figure realized that their last victim was going to put up a fight, so they took off, zipping through the crowd.

He heard Gleb yell behind him, but Dmitry didn’t care. He was going to get his money back.

Through the horde of people, Dmitry followed the culprit. The thief twisted and turned through the crowd, dart through the tiniest of space to lose the boy on their tail. _This guy sure is_ fast, Dmitry thought. However, Dmitry realized he was smiling while chasing this person. He felt as if his chains of royalty had broken and he was free to do what he wanted, even if it included chasing the person who stole his money.

He was just about to lose them when the pickpocket tripped, falling to the hard cobble street. Dmitry was finally going to catch the guy who stole his money. He felt satisfied and a little part of him felt like he won this tiny battle. He towered over the person who stole his money, still on the ground from their fall. The thief, albeit caught up with, continued to try to get away from Dmitry by crawling slowly backwards, refusing defeat. But both Dmitry and the thief knew it was a last-ditch effort that wouldn’t work.

“Listen, I just want my money back,” Dmitry said, looking down at the figure. He tried to look at the person’s face, but all he saw was a top of a brimmed hat, scanning the area for a place to escape.

“Excuse me?” Dmitry exclaimed loudly, trying to get the figures attention. He grabbed at their hat, and then a heap of strawberry-blonde hair fell out and cascaded over the thief’s shoulders. The thief looked up and Dmitry stared into the piercing blue eyes of a girl. Those eyes were so familiar to Dmitry as if he had seen them before.

“Excuse me, but you just stole from-“ a voice called from behind. Gleb. Dmitry had forgotten about Gleb.

“Shut up, Gleb,” Dmitry barked, not letting Gleb reveal his royal identity, “now, miss-“

“Anya, my name is Anya,” the girl interrupted, as she stood up, studying Dmitry’s face.

“Now, _Anya_ ,” Dmitry said as calmly as he could, “will you please give me my money back and we will happily be on our way.”

Anya decided to completely ignore the subject of the stolen money. “Have we met before? Because you look familiar.”

Dmitry was thrown off guard. He was a Romanov, people are bound to know what he looked like. “What? No, you don’t know me,” Dmitry gasped worriedly.

Dmitry saw her eyes widen when she realized who he was. “Yes, I do! You’re the future-“

Dmitry decided to act. He covered her mouth with his hand and used the other to link arms with her.

“Listen, this looks bad, and I’m not going to be an accomplice in whatever you’re going to do,” Gleb said, “I am not going to get in trouble for a privileged brat like you.” And just like that, Gleb disappeared into the crowd.

_Whatever_ , Dmitry thought, as he led Anya away from the crowd, and then turning a corner onto a street that seemed abandoned by the people. Dmitry unhooked himself from Anya and put her against the wall.

“I’m going to move my hand now, okay?” He apprehensively said, “Please don’t say anything to put us in danger.” The girl nodded.

Dmitry removed his hand, and he quickly realized his mistake. The girl kept asking him question upon question.

“Are you _really_ Dmitry? What is it like, being a Romanov and all? Do you get to do whatever you want? Do you- “

“Enough!” Dmitry whispered to her, afraid someone might hear. She seemed to take the hint and stopped talking. “I will answer all of your questions and more, but first, you need to stop talking.”

The girl was not going to take this as an answer though. “Oh, yeah? What’s in it for me?”

“Listen, Enya-“ Dmitry started.

The girl corrected him, “Anya!”

“Whatever. I have two days of freedom and I intend on spending them. You already stole my money and lost me my guide, so if you will please keep your mouth shut-“

“I’ll do it,” Anya stated.

“You’ll do what?” Dmitry asked.

“I’ll be your guide. Your payment will be the money I already stole from you and answers about being royal.”

“What? No! You can’t be my guide.”

“Why not?” Anya asked, “I know this city like the back of my hand. Probably better than that other guy you had.”

Dmitry had to think about it. On the one hand, he got rid of Gleb and he would have an actual local take him through Petersburg. On the other hand, she was already untrustworthy, stealing Dmitry’s money and all. However, there was something in him that stirred when he looked into her eyes, her piercing blue eyes…

“Alright, you can do it. You can be my guide,” Dmitry mumbled apprehensively.

“What? Really?” Anya said, shocked at what she just heard. Then, she surprised Dmitry by hugging him. This made Dmitry tense up. A common citizen put their hands on him, a prince! This was not allowed. However, something in him didn’t want this embrace to stop. He felt that stirring feeling again.

Anya must have realized what she had done when she slowly backed away from the prince, wide-eyed and blushing. Dmitry felt as if he looked the same.

“Maybe we should-“ Dmitry tried to think of what to say next.

 “We should get a move on!” Anya blurted out, not making eye contact with Dmitry.

_I hope I don’t regret this_ , Dmitry thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long time between posts, I was on vacation. I'm going to try and post every Sunday. Thank you to everyone who has been reading so far!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope people liked it??? Leave comments or criticisms if you want. Thanks for reading!


End file.
